Disassembler



G. F. READ DISASSEMBLER vMarch 10, 1959 Filed Jan. 17, 1955 6/6 7777 F fled INVENTOR United States Patent C M DISASSEMBLER Glenn F. Read, De Land, Fla.

Application January 17, 1955, Serial No. 482,325

4 Claims. (Cl. 254-131) This invention is a manually operated hand tool for general use in separating planks and other structural elements from the supporting members to which they are secured by nails, screws or other fastening means, in such manner as to avoid serious injury to the elements or members so they may be used again in a similar structure.

The tool is particularly designed for easily and safely disassembling tongue and groove elements such as floor- .ing boards, sheathing boards, and the like from their sup- ;porting framework, which may be joists, rafters, studs, etc., with minimum damage to the lumber, maximum :safety and convenience for the operator, and at maxi- :mum speed with minimum effort and lowest possible *cost.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tool that is so shaped and balanced that it will stand in erect position on a comparatively horizontal surface such as a floor or low pitched roof thus preventing the necessity of stooping and fumbling to retrieve the tool after the operator has set it aside temporarily.

Another object of this invention is to provide a disassembler that enables the operator to stand clear of the disassembled work while operating the tool. Thus if flooring is being removed the operator stands on the unremoved floor while the loosened boards rest on the supports out of his way, where they can be removed by other workmen without interfering with the disassembler operator.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a disassembling tool so designed that the operator can use his back and leg muscles to full advantage in lifting the operating lever or handle, and at the same time is held firmly and safely against the undisturbed planking when working on a floor or roof, which may be at great height and on a sloping surface, by the reaction of his lifting effort. This has an important psychological effect on the operator when working in precarious places because it gives him a feeling of safety not attainable with other tools not so designed. This results in increased output due to lower mental and physical fatigue, and fewer accidents.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a disassembling tool that is constructed of relatively few but rugged parts, comparatively inexpensive to construct and maintain, and producing extremely high leverage for disassembling the most obdurate structures easily, safely and with a minimum of loss.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the device.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly cut away, of the disassembling tool in initial operating position, ready to remove tongue-and-groove boards.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the tool with the handle in lowered position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental side elevation illustrating how the tool may be stood in upright position.

, 2,876,991 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 As will be understood from the drawings, in which each reference numeral designates the same element throughout, the tool comprises three basic parts, namely the head, A, the handle, B, and toggle arms, C.

The head, A, comprises two matching, separable elements, 4, one being the reverse of the other, secured together by means of bolts 8 and 9.

Each element, 4, comprises a generally elliptically shaped wingplate, 5, preferably equipped with notches or other gripping means, 6, on the upper curved edge.

Projecting inwardly from the upper central part of each element, 4, above the wing, is a sturdy lug, 7, having a curved face, the lower part of which lies in approximately the same plane as the upper curved and notched surface of the wing, the curve of the lug face and the upper curved edge of the wing forming a reverse curve as shown in Fig. l.

Each element, 4, is provided with an elongated halfsocket, 10, at its upper part shaped to form a clamping means when assembled with its mating element for receiving and rigidly holding the handle, 13.

When the mating elements, 4, are-bolted together in operative position the lugs, 7, form a rugged, curved fulcrum between the wings adapted to rest and roll on the supporting frame member (joist, rafter, or the like) of the structure being disassembled, as clearly illustrated in Fig; 1.

As seen in Fig. 1 the function of the wings, 5, is to engage and forcibly move the boards, 111, first in a plane generally parallel to the supporting timber, and then in an increasing arc away therefrom to pull eventually the boards free, pulling the nails in the process, and the further function of forming a channel to receive the supporting member and positioning the tool.

This compound movement is very important since it separates the tongues from the grooves without splitting, which generally happens in the use of wrecking bars.

At the upper extremity of each element, 4, is provided a lug, 11, drilled or cored to receive bolt, 9, which acts with bolt, 8, to clamp the elements, 4, together, and also hold the handle, 13, securely in place.

To increase further the effectiveness of the disassembler toggle-bars, 14, are connected to the elements, 4, one toggle-bar being pivoted to each wing.

These toggle-bars preferably have sharp lugs, or the like, 15, on their upper surfaces to engage the lower or back side of the boards being removed. I

It will be noted that each toggle-bar, 14, has a series of holes, 16, enabling them to be adjusted to the most effective position for the particular work being performed.

- That is the bite of the tool can be extended or shortened as found desirable.

In order to make the straddling distance S (Fig. 2) variable to fit rafters or joists of various thickness filler blocks or inserts, 17, 17, may be provided. Obviously these filler blocks are shaped to match the contour of the lugs, 7. As shown in Fig. 2 these filler blocks extend between the lugs, 7, the socket-halves, 10, and the lugs, 11.

To prevent the pivoted toggle-bars, 14, from swinging too far each wing 5, is provided with a lug, 18.

It will be noted that the handle-holding socket formed by the half-sockets, 10, is preferably arranged so that the handle will extend at a comparatively small angle to the plane of the boards to be removed when the tool is in initial position of operation, as shown in Fig. 1. This is important as it enables the operator to use effectively his back and leg muscles in raising the handle, and at the same time he is held by the reaction firmly against the floor or roof upon which he stands.

In order to make the disassembling tool more convenient to use the lower extremity of the. head assembly is made flat so that it will stand in upright position when not in use. As pointed out above this is important as it makes the tool easily grasped without stooping, thus saving time and energy.

-The handle is equipped with claWs,'-19, at the lower end which project from the head and which can be used for pulling spikes, or for prying. These claws serve also to increase the bearing area upon which the tool'stands when not in use. The other end of the-handle is shaped as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and can be used as apinch bar without removing from the head, or removed from the head and used separately.

It will be noted that the lugs, 7, and the filler-blocks, 17, project beyond the inner surface of the socket formed by the half sockets, 10, to form a shoulder against which the lower curved part of the handle rests to prevent the handle from slipping down under impact.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that this is an invention of great utility, rugged, well balanced, simple to manufacture, safe, and easy to operate, and free from defects found in the prior art.

In use the disassembler is placed astraddle the joist, rafter, or the like at one side of the floor, or at the roof peak, with the toggle bars engaging the undersurface of the board or boards to be removed, and extending towards the operator who stands on the undisturbed part of the floor or roof, the handle extending toward the operator a short distance above the boards as shown in Fig. 1.

- The handle is then moved upwardly effecting a powerful leverage first on the board over the wing plates to start it slowly away laterally from its mating board and then more rapidly upwardly as the fulcrum rolls back on the supporting timber. The toggle bars come into action as the first board breaks loose, and, being pivoted, drag the other boards engaged by the bars free, and then lifts them angularly upward.

, The tool is then disengaged, the loosened boards removed, and the tool positioned for the next operation.

Ordinarily on long runs two or more disassemblers are used in parallel so that the removing stress is applied along the full length of the boards simultaneously.

In order to begin operation with the disassembling tool as above described a board or two must be removed in conventional manner to expose the supporting timbers. The claws 19 aid materially in this as will be readily understood by one versed in the art.

It will be noted that in using the disassembler the boards are ordinarily removed in the reverse order of their assembly when the building was constructed. Thus the last roof sheathing boards to be placed are at the ridge, and these are the first to be removed. This enables the operator to stand and work in the safest position and avoids the necessity of crawling about over the skeleton framework from which the boards have been removed.

Another use of the tool is to disassemble form panels that have been stripped from concrete work so that new panels can be constructed with a minimum loss of time and material.

7 The foregoing detailed description of my invention is only for the purpose of enabling anyone working in the art to construct and use it, and is not to be considered as a limitation since minor changes may be made within the scope of the invention which is limited only by the structure set forth in the appended claims.

gripping means on its upper edge.

2. A disassembling tool for laterally and progressively separating tongue-and-groove boards and raising them from their supporting members, said tool including a head comprising a backwardly facing, handle-holding socket at the front end thereof, a fulcrum adjacent to and rearward of the socket, spaced parallel wing-plates extending rearwardly from said socket and said fulcrum, board gripping means on the upper edges of said wing-plates, and a bar pivoted to and extending rearwardly from each wing-plate and extending substantially forwardly and rearwardly from the pivot-point, the bars having spaced pivot-holes and having board-gripping means on their upper edge, and each wing-plate being equipped with a laterally extending lug to restrict swinging of the bars.

3. A disassembling tool for laterally and progressively separating tongue-and-groove boards and stripping them from their supporting members, said tool including a head comprising a backwardly facing, handle holding socket at the front end thereof, a fulcrum adjacent to and rearwardly of the socket, spaced parallel wing-plates extending rearwardly from said socket and said fulcrum, boardripping means on the upper edges of said wing-plates, and a bar pivoted to and extending rearwardly from each wing-plate and extending substantially forwardly and rearwardly from the pivot point, each bar having boardgripping means on its upper edge, the head being flat at the bottom of the forward end thereof to form a plane surface generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the socket to permit the tool to stand in upright position.

4. In a disassembling tool for laterally and progressively moving and stripping tongue and groove boards from their supporting members, a head, said head comprising two laterally separable members, each member comprising a half-socket at the front end, a lug extending laterally inwardly in rear of the half-socket, and a rearwardly extending wing-plate, each member being the reverse of the other, thetwo being clamped together to form the head, the lugs forming a fulcrum, and the halfsockets forming a complete handle-receiving socket, board-gripping means .on the upper edges of said wingplates, and a bar pivoted to and extending rearwardly from each Wing-plate, each bar having board-gripping means on its upper edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 841,050 Robert Jan. 8, 1907 1,343,862 Williams June 15, 1920 2,195,667 Baker Apr. 2, 1940 2,473,866 Davies June 21, 1949 2,511,175 Pearson June 13, 1950 

